Nissan Qashqai: like the porridge, it’s just right!

What is it?

Sitting a level above the oddly-styled Juke (itself due for an update soon), Qashqai is a small to medium-sized SUV.

The ST spec is the entry level version and is reasonably well featured for its price and placement.

It’s powered by a 2.0-litre four cylinder engine that drives the front wheels via a manual or CVT-style auto transmission.

Peak power of 106kW is on tap at 6000rpm and torque maxes out at 200Nm — but you need to rev it to 4400rpm to find that.

Tank size is 65 litres and fuel consumption is a claimed 6.9L/100km.

It’s not a heavy machine either, weighing in at 1375kg dry.

What’s it cost?

The manual ST is $26,990 driveaway.

An auto adds a typical $2K premium. $500 is the ask for metallic paint.

There’s not a lot to dislike inside the ST. It’s a well laid out cabin in regards to switchgear location.

The Start/Stop push button is clearly visible to the left of the rather broad steering wheel which has control tabs for accessing information from a small LCD screen, framed by two simple dials — it looks fine and works well.

The centre stack is gloss black in contrast with the charcoal grey of the plastics and cloth seats. Tabs and buttons for the aircon are also simple in look and layout.

It’s an uncomplicated design and one that’s family friendly, and being easy to read means less time spent looking away from the road.

In contrast, the touchscreen’s base look is, well, base. It’s not pretty and lacks that “look at me” factor — but, at least, there is a good sounding DAB tuner.

The seats are manually adjusted with adequate leg room front and rear, even with the front seats pushed back.

Rear cargo room varies from 430 to 1598 litres with seats up or down.

Drive is controlled via the shift lever only, as there are no paddle shifts. Nor are the headlights auto on.

What gives the cabin a lift is a smooth line that draws the dash towards the front doors from the centre. It’s an enveloping look and feel, giving an impression of two distinct sections — for driver and passenger.

Another nifty feature is the camera that shows the left side of the car. It lets the driver check the kerb for wheel placement.

It also engages with the front parking sensors for a better perspective.

Related

Dave Conole hails from Perth where he co-hosted a car show on one of
the city's major community radio stations. Although he's had formal
training in stage, TV, and film, it's his face for radio that gave him
his start in the automotive field, both reviewing and motorsport
commentary. After moving to Sydney in 2004, Dave has worked for some of
Australia's biggest media groups and is the anchor commentator at Sydney
Motorsport Park. This has lead to anchoring major events such as the
Top Gear Festival (and, no, he didn't get punched by Jeremy).